About these Gluten Free Banana Muffins

These muffins are full of healthy, good ingredients that you probably have on hand. Like three ripe bananas, plus a combination of gluten free flours (coconut, oat, and almond) to bind the batter, which can be made from pantry staples. I use my Vitamix to blend unsweetened shredded coconut and GF rolled oats into flour. All they need is roughly 45 seconds on the highest setting to become fine and flour-like. Of course, you can also just go out and buy coconut, oat, and almond flour and save yourself this step.

In place of butter, or vegetable oil, I use a quarter cup of olive oil and half a cup of plain greek yogurt. I use 0% here, but 2% or 5% will work, as will sour cream.

Another healthy bonus, these tasty muffins are naturally sweet. No refined sugar added, just bananas, chocolate chips, and a quarter cup of pure maple syrup.

After many, many test batches and two very willing taste testers under the age of 10, we determined that baking these muffins at a lower temperature (325 degrees), for a good 30 minutes results in perfectly moist, golden muffins.

A few gluten free baking tips

Stir for longer. Beating the muffin batter for longer than you normally would helps to build the stickiness/binding power of the ingredients.

Bake at a lower temperature for a longer.

Use a combination of flours (like coconut flour, oat flour, and almond flour). Not only does mixing GF flours improve taste, but it also results in a better texture and density.

Incorporate other stickiness-building ingredients, like thick yogurt, eggs, and banana.

Double down on baking powder. Gluten-free baked goods do not rise like their gluten-loaded counterparts, so extra rising power is necessary!

If you give these a try, let me know in the comments below and give them a rating! I love to hear from you.

Tip the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until well combined. Stirring for longer will help create that all important stickiness.

Scoop the batter into parchment lined (or well greased) muffin tins. Fill almost to the top (gluten free baked good will not rise like their flour-based counterparts).

Bake at 325 for 30 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Notes

* To make coconut flour or oat flour, simply place unsweetened shredded coconut/large rolled oats in a Vitamix (or similar power blender) and blend on the highest setting until they reach a fine, flour-like consistency.